OUR VIEW | Soaking Kitsap Commuters for Un-Kitsap Projects

Apparently “state” is the telling word in the state Transportation Commission’s title.

Why else would Kitsap County commuters be asked to pay increased Narrows Bridge tolls toward a reserve fund that’s extremely unlikely to be used here? And why would the opinions of our three representatives — Sen. Derek Kilmer and Reps. Larry Seaquist and Jan Angel — and the recommendation of a local citizens group be seemingly ignored when the decision was made to hike both electronic and toll booth rates to cross the bridge?

The commission’s Thursday decision — to raise tolls to $3.25 and $5, respectively — stemmed in part from State Treasurer Jim McIntire’s request that tolls generate 110 percent of bridge costs, with some revenue set aside to create a transportation reserve fund. That reserve fund will, in McIntire’s view, help keep bond rates low on future projects — which are almost assuredly to be built in counties other than Kitsap and Pierce.

Planning for those interests (for example, a new 520 bridge) means that commuters here are now paying for more than the bridge’s construction cost, and the frequent users who provide the bulk of those tolls are again being asked for more.

Planning transportation statewide is important for the commission, but fairness and common sense in dealing with a specific project — not to mention listening to its representatives — should also be kept in mind.

The citizen advisory committee now has three weeks to respond, with the possibility of holding public hearings. We urge that group to do just that, and prod the voices that may be able to get a message that challenges the Transportation Commission’s stubborn insistence on piling on Kitsap commuters.